System and method for gas bearing support of turbine

A system comprising:

• a first shaft disposed about an axis;
• a second shaft disposed about the axis and disposed concentrically about the first shaft, wherein the first shaft and the second shaft form a first passage therebetween;
• and
• a gas delivery disk coupled to the second shaft, wherein the gas delivery disk comprises:
• an inner axial opening configured to facilitate a first axial flow through the first passage;
• a plurality of ducts configured to supply a bearing flow in a radial direction toward the axis, wherein the plurality of ducts is configured to extract the bearing flow from the first axial flow;
• and
• a bearing face disposed within the first passage and radially interior to the inner axial opening, wherein the bearing face is configured to receive the bearing flow, and the bearing face is configured to form a gas bearing between the bearing face and the first shaft disposed about the axis.

A method comprising:

• directing a first gas flow axially through a first passage and an inner axial opening of a gas delivery disk, wherein the first passage is disposed between a first shaft and a second shaft, the first shaft is disposed about an axis, and the second shaft is disposed about the axis;
• directing a second gas flow axially through a second passage and a middle axial opening of a gas delivery disk, wherein the second passage is disposed radially exterior to the second shaft;
• and
• directing a bearing flow radially through the gas delivery disk toward the first shaft, wherein the gas delivery disk is configured to form a gas bearing between the gas delivery disk and the first shaft with the bearing flow.